ALBUM REVIEW: Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On

Words: Jack Foley

Horsegirl released their sophomore effort, Phonetics On and On, on February 14th, 2025. The Chicago-based trio’s first LP, Versions of Modern Performance, has a sound reminiscent of Sonic Youth with a heavier shoegaze influence, and less dissonance. The group has explored a new sound markedly different from their first record. Horsegirl has stripped back the reverb and fuzz, embracing clean, twangy guitars, violins, and the lost art of simplicity to make a jangle pop record with infectious melodies inspired by acts such as The Velvet Underground.

Phonetics On and On opens with Where’d You Go? Which has a similar tonal quality to music from the 60s modernist movement. Rock City keeps things moving along smoothly with a laidback punchy bassline and signature Horsegirl vocal vamping, which then shifts into an uptempo outro. In Twos turns the tempo back down, hinting at a central theme of the number two, as indicated in the album art. A naive violin part joins in to build a four-on-the-floor rhythm, and an outro of double eighth notes on bass and vocal vamping. 2468 is a layered song that starts slow with double stops on the violin and light guitar, with each additional layer of vocals bringing the piece together into what I consider one of my favorite tracks off the album. This song brings in a bit of distortion and a strong bassline similar to what would be heard on the trio’s debut album. You can almost picture yourself as a child skipping down the street to this song, not a thought or care besides the tune you came up with at recess. 

Julie reminds me somewhat of a Duster track, except instead of pure depression, you get to sit with the weight of decisions from your childhood. Choosing milk or juice, the monkey bars or swings, or who to play with are your biggest worries, and feel the same angst as you do now financing your student loans while juggling rent, work, and healthcare costs in your 20s. The lines “Julie, I wish I could tell you what you want” and “you have so many mistakes to make” repeat throughout the song, evoking the indecisiveness and uncertainty of growing up; sometimes you need to have catharsis to keep moving, angst can be a tool for figuring out your way in the world. 

Horsegirl is growing up and so is their sound. I applaud young musicians for not being afraid to approach conceptual work with uncompromising artistic vision. I view Phonetics On and On as a concept album through the lens of childhood that everyone has experienced in some way. Being human is the one thing we all have in common, and embracing our youthful spirit is key to maintaining our sanity in such chaotic times. Horsegirl’s Phonetics On and On is a great listen for anyone with an appreciation for art rock and jangle pop, or artists such as Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, and other related artists.